A Carryduff optician is celebrating 20 years in business by returning to Kenya, Africa to set up an eye clinic from which she hopes to bring the gift of sight to hundreds of local people.

10 years ago, Gillian made this life changing trip and was always keen to return. This year, she returns with two of her three sons, Jack (16) and Andrew (15) who she hopes will get as much out of the trip as she did a decade ago.

Gillian said: “The trip to Kenya was without doubt one of the best experiences of my life, being able to give back and make a real difference to the lives of those wonderful people was something I felt I was meant to do.

"I can’t wait to go back and bringing Jack and Andrew with me will make it even more special. They are hoping to get involved with the building of a disability centre in the area which will be taking place at the same time as our trip. It’s an experience I hope will stay with them a life time and one from which I’m confident they will learn a lot."

Gillian is urging the people of Northern Ireland to donate old or unwanted glasses, even those cheap ready reader glasses which can be purchased in any chemist or shop, she is also asking for disability equipment that may be long forgotten and you no longer have a use for, zimmer frames or crutches can make a huge difference to the daily lives of people who have no access to any such equipment.

Gillian Gervais

In 2005, Gillian brought over 800 pairs of unwanted glasses from the people of Northern Ireland, each pair was fitted to someone perfectly and gave them the gift of sight; “There was no wastage, so please I urge people to bring me as many old pairs of glasses as you can. They will be hugely appreciated and will really make an enormous difference to the live so many people.”

Gillian and her two sons will be staying with two missionaries from Northern Ireland, Gary and Mary Reid from Saintfield at the Acacia Grove Mission, Olkinyei, South West Kenya from where the temporary eye clinic will operate.

The Acacia Grove Missionary was established in 2005, a lot of their work has focused on helping, caring for and offering refuge to vulnerable children who have suffered or been threatened with abuse or neglect.

In many cases, this may be the horrifying, disfiguring, excruciatingly painful, Female Genital Mutilation, or the maturing in minutes of a child when forced to undergo child marriage, with many taken away from all that is familiar, to become the (often youngest) wife of a total stranger.

To find out more please visit Gillian's website or to donate your old glasses please drop them off at Gillian Gervais Opticians, 31 Ballynahinch Road, Carryduff, BT8 8EH, call 028 9081 2890 or email gilliangervaisoptician@gmail.com to find out about other drop off points across NI.